A Brewing Obsession

“Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love” , goes a Turkish proverb. Coffee is one of my favorite beverages, consumed in different forms on the basis of where I am, what I’m doing, my mood at that particular time, if I’m eating anything along with it, or consuming it by itself. My friends and family know this too and frequently pick up coffee for me from their travels. Presently, I alternate between three types of coffee that were gifted to me at different times, from different places. Being the only coffee drinker at home, my stash is never-ending, for the time being at least.

The first variety is a Lebanese coffee a friend travelling from Lebanon had presented some months ago. (Those following this site since a while might remember the blog-post I had put up at the time.) Lebanese coffee, known as kahweh, is black, strong, and takes a while getting used to. The Arabic word for coffee, qahwa, is a shortened version of the phrase “qahwat al-bun” which means “wine of the bean” . It is also referred to as Turkish coffee, and is identical to the coffee available in the neighboring countries of the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabica bean, known as the Brazilian bean. Lebanon does not grow coffee beans; its coffee is imported from Nicaragua, Brazil and Sumatra. Coffee is served in Lebanon throughout the day, and is a sign of welcome when guests visit home. Lebanese coffee is usually prepared with a teaspoon of ground coffee, half a teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of cardamom with a cup of water. The particular coffee grinds my friend had picked up were a blend of coffee and cardamom.

The coffee is traditionally served in tiny cups. He got me the cups as well as the pot, along with the coffee.

The second type of coffee I have here is Dormans Coffee, brought by a friend visiting from Nairobi. Dormans is a premiere coffee trading company based in Kenya. The coffee is grown organically, processed, and blended, and is derived from pure Kenya Arabica beans – harvested from cooperative farms across east Africa. I didn’t take a picture of the pack, but it came as a box comprising individual sachets of 2 grams each. (Something like the image below.) Again, a very strong coffee – I had to use one sachet for a large mug to dilute it.

The third variation of coffee available at home is Coorgi Coffee, picked up by a friend visiting the rural district of Coorg or Kodagu in the state of Karnataka in South India. The coffee is grown in high altitudes, having originated among the Chandagiri hills of Chikmagalur district. Coorgi coffee is said to be one of the best “mild coffees” in the world, on account of being grown in the shade – resulting in a coffee with a low acidic content, and carrying with it a tropical full-bodied taste and aroma. The mountainous region of Coorg blends both Arabica and Robusta beans, grown in the shades of the Rose Wood, Wild Fig and Jackfruit trees. The person who brought me this, sourced it from one of the coffee grinding mills itself. So, they packed and sealed freshly ground roasted coffee. Again, I didn’t click a picture – there was not much to document; having been procured from the source, the pack did not have any branding yet. It looked something like the image here.

I usually drink my coffee black. The Dormans variety is an instant mix, so if I’m in a rush I make it with milk occasionally. The Coorgi coffee is relatively mild and tastes good when prepared with milk and chilled. But the grind needs time to brew. The Lebanese variant takes the longest time to prepare, since traditionally brewed coffee in Lebanon is made by boiling the coffee with water three times – till the sediment settles at the bottom of the pot, and brown froth is visible on the top. I drink this one hot and black due to the coffee-cardamom blend.

Any more coffee lovers here? The weekend is near. Time to prepare a brew and settle down with a good book. 🙂

I’m lucky enough to have travelled in rural Karnataka, saw the beans growing and brought some home with me. That was special. But like you, I prefer my coffee very strong, very hot and very black. Can’t begin the day without it. Under any circumstances.

That last question had me mentally jumping like Hermione! 😀
I started my journey with the standard Nescafe classic before experiencing the filter coffee mixture of coffee & chicory. In recent times, I have been hooked to Nescafe Gold blend of Arabica and Robusta beans.
I have found that sharp, very strong coffee doesn’t appeal to me as much as a milder, more rounded one does and the Coorgi blend does seem like one I should try. I’ll hound my friend from the region to get me some the next time he comes to Mumbai!
Lastly, great brewing post 😀

I prefer the stronger varieties since I usually drink black coffee. But the Coorgi one goes well with milk. Beanies coffee is also pretty good, if you like mild ones. They come in an assortment of flavors – strong in aroma, but milder in taste.

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This is a text widget, which allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. You can use them to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. Edit them in the Widget section of the Customizer.